We are fresh into the NEW — new year, new goals, new dreams, new resolutions… join the gym, 10x your business, and kickstart your morning routine! I can picture the pom-poms and “you can do it” sticky notes on all the MCC desks now.

But here’s the thing, reflection isn’t just that thing you do as the December weeks wane. It’s a vitally important practice to cultivate all year long.

That’s easier said than done though, right? Whether you have distance learning kids driving you batty, a slow internet connection that makes working a struggle, or a snack-filled pantry that is perpetually calling your name, finding your flow with day-to-day work can be a struggle, let alone blocking out time for reflection.

How do we actually learn new skills though? How do we increase our performance? How do we create the experiences we want in our lives and our businesses? What makes us successful in these endeavors?

According to research from the Harvard Business School, “learning from direct experience can be more effective if coupled with reflection—that is, the intentional attempt to synthesize, abstract, and articulate the key lessons taught by experience.”

We all face new challenges every single day. We have to break down walls, move through our own resistances to gain new skills. We put in time, energy, effort, and sometimes tears. And here’s the thing… according to that same study “reflecting on what has been learned makes experience more productive.”

This means that all that time, energy, money, effort invested doesn’t go to waste. In fact, it’s the opposite; it gets put to better use and our experiences are more fruitful when we reflect on the learning and growth they’ve given us.

“The more you reflect, the more what you learn sticks, the greater success you have, and the higher your confidence. ”

And finally, “reflection builds one's confidence in the ability to achieve a goal (i.e., self-efficacy), which in turn translates into higher rates of learning.” We learn better and faster, and have more confidence in our skills, when we reflect on the learning experiences we’ve had. The more you reflect, the more what you learn sticks, the greater success you have, and the higher your confidence. Sounds like a win-win-win to me.

Given all of this, how will you make reflection a regular part of your life?

Some easy ideas include doing a daily or weekly review of what you accomplished, what worked, and what could use improvement.

You can also choose a few key business metrics and every month or quarter do a deep dive to see where your business stands.

As you reflect, it can be helpful to have internal space to get clear on your own opinions and thoughts without the influence of others. We recommend booking a conference room for a few hours or a day pass at MCC. Enjoy the free locally-roasted coffee and productivity vibes. Get out of the chaos at home, turn off your phone, and go inward.

Only then should you reach out to those close to you. Involve your work team or business partners in reflection. Make it a regular ritual that fosters growth as well as connection. Ask your significant other to do a relationship review. Reflection can foster togetherness and get everyone on the same page.

Ultimately, reflection is a tool to serve your continued growth forward. You don’t want to get lost in the past or beat yourself up about how things went or could have gone. Instead, use reflection as the tool that it is. Non-judgmentally evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and where you want to go from there.

As any navigator will tell you, you can’t chart a course forward without knowing where you are now. Reflection makes sure that you know where you’re at at any point in time, so as you continually refine your goals, you are grounded in where you’ve been and where you are.

If you haven’t sat down for some intentional reflection of late, we recommend giving our new Reflect and Succeed Guide a try. Book that conference room with us or create some space at home. Treat this time like an intimate date with someone special — perhaps grab something fancy from Beerworks, light some candles, get your very favorite takeout (may we suggest Common Block or Over Easy), or simply binge on that awesome free MCC coffee. And, obviously, put your phone on do-not-disturb.

This Guide was built to review 2020 and create goals for 2021, but the exercises and practices are not limited to these points in time. They can be used however and whenever it serves you.

With guided goal-setting, a full system visualization, and mindful exercises for clarity and awareness, this Guide is different from most. You get to reflect and engage your whole self in the life and business you want to create. Make it your own and let the reflection begin.